Concierto Madrigal for Two Guitars by Rodrigo on Fretworks

Our next Fretworks program on Classical 101 will feature the Concierto Madrigal by Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo.  It's a concerto for two guitars, not quite as well-known as the more famous Concierto de Aranjuez.  The Concierto Madrigal was written in the form of a suite and is based on the Renaissance madrigal “Felices ojos mios” (Happy Eyes of Mine).  It was commissioned by Alexandre Lagoya and Ida Presti in 1966.  The first public performance took place at the Hollywood Bowl in 1970 with Pepe and Angel Romero as soloists with the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra. For our performance on Fretworks, we'll hear the Katona Twins, Peter and Zoltan Katona with the Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra.  They actually are identical twins, but judging from hearing their recordings, that's not a promotional gimmick.  This Hungarian duo made its Carnegie Hall debut in 1998 and has performed to much acclaim in concerts around the world. The young American guitarist Jon Mendle has also performed at Carnegie Hall, and he has toured with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble.  We'll hear him play an unusual 11-string Archguitar, a kind of hybrid of the Renaissance lute, Baroque lute, 19th century and modern guitars.  He'll perform a sonata by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the next to last son of Johann Sebastian. The Canadian Guitar Quartet has a Hungarian Dance by Brahms, and guitarist Franz Halasz, along with pianist Debora Halasz will play a duo by Ferdinando Carulli, the early 19th century guitarist-composer. Join me for Fretworks Saturday evenings at 7 pm and Wednesday evenings at 7 on Classical 101.